Blockbuster trade proposal has Nets moving Michael Porter Jr. for NBA champion

Blockbuster trade proposal has Nets moving Michael Porter Jr. for NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Brooklyn Nets are in an interesting position this offseason. 

They're coming off another dreadful season, but they should have plenty of money to spend this summer in a bid to improve the roster. Unfortunately, the team didn't get lucky in the 2026 draft lottery, so they almost certainly won't be able to add one of the three elite talents. 

As a result, it's possible the team could decide to make a bold move in the trade market. ESPN's NBA insiders recently proposed several trades for the league, and one involves the Nets moving on from Michael Porter Jr. to land a star. 

Nets ship Michael Porter Jr. to Thunder for Jalen Williams 

In ESPN's proposal, the deal involving the Nets and the Oklahoma City Thunder looks like this: 

Nets receive: Jalen Williams

Thunder receive: Michael Porter Jr. 2027 first-round pick (least favorable of their own and Houston's), a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2031 first-round pick

ESPN's insiders say the Nets would do this because they "desperately need a franchise player," and Williams would be "a dream target for a rebuilding team." 

Bobby Marks, ESPN's front office expert, offered his own analysis of the deal. 

"As for Brooklyn, there is a priority to improve its roster, considering the Houston Rockets have the right to swap first-round picks in 2027," Marks said. "In trading Porter for Williams, Brooklyn would still have cap space to add via free agency or another trade."

As Marks mentioned, the Nets have no incentive to be bad again in 2026-27. Trading future assets for a player like Williams makes sense, especially considering the team would still have money to spend in free agency and plenty of draft capital remaining. 

Porter had a good season for the Nets in 2025-26, but he's not going to be on the team when they are ready to contend again. Trading for a younger star like Williams would officially start the team's window, and they wouldn't have to worry about losing Porter for nothing next offseason. 

Can Williams be a top option on a contender? 

The Thunder won the NBA Finals last year with Williams as their second-best player. There's no reason to think he couldn't handle being the number-one option on a team. 

Williams regressed slightly this year due to some nagging injuries, but he never had injury problems before this season. Williams still averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game on 48.4% shooting this season. 

Adding Williams to a core featuring whoever the Nets draft in 2026, Egor Demin, Drake Powell, Nolan Traore, and Nic Claxton, would certainly make the Nets interesting in 2026-27. It's important to keep in mind, as Marks pointed out, the Nets could add a free agent or two even after trading for Williams.